Thoughts from the interface of science, religion, law and culture

After spending several years touring the country as a stand up comedian, Ed Brayton tired of explaining his jokes to small groups of dazed illiterates and turned to writing as the most common outlet for the voices in his head. He has appeared on the Rachel Maddow Show and the Thom Hartmann Show, and is almost certain that he is the only person ever to make fun of Chuck Norris on C-SPAN.

EVENTS

Florida ‘Psychics’ Admit Fraud

Remember that family of psychics in Florida who were arrested and charged with defrauding clients to the tune of $25 million? 8 of the 9 members of the family have now admitted to the fraud and pleaded guilty, leaving only the matriarch of the family refusing to do so.

Rose Marks, 61, the alleged ringleader of the fraud, is scheduled to go to trial April 1 on charges she defrauded bestselling novelist Jude Deveraux. The trial date may be delayed if federal prosecutors add income tax fraud charges against her, as they have suggested they may do.

“Rose intends to go to trial,” her attorney Fred Schwartz said Monday. He declined to comment on the potential tax charges…

Nancy Marks and Miller, who worked in Broward County and Manhattan, admitted they each caused victims losses of between $1 million and $2.5 million.

Nancy Marks acknowledged she lied to customers “to obtain large sums of money.” She told clients she could contact “spirit guides who would provide God-given directions,” which included giving her money for cleansing to remove negativity or evil. She promised the money would be used in rituals or sacrifices, donated to charity or, in some cases, returned…

One of her victims was a man who he said was hearing voices when he came to her psychic shop at 2000 E. Sunrise Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale. She asked if he was taking his medication, according to court records, but took gold coins from him and said his “lack of faith” was the problem. He later asked her to return almost $400,000 worth of gold coins, but she told him they “were buried in a cemetery and she could not remember where … that only Michael the Archangel would know.”

Meanwhile, HLN (formerly Headline News and part of CNN) has repeatedly had on an “intuitive” as a guest commenter on the Jodi Arias trial. Not to mention someone who bills herself as “the human lie detector” and pretty much claims to be infallible. There really is one born every minute.